Apparently an enthusiastic WBHS Homecoming supporter with a lot of local Facebook friends posted information about the Homecoming parade from a 2008 link to the Barrow Journal. That information is wrong.

The correct information is below and is also listed correctly in our print edition, E-Edition and Facebook page. Please share with anyone who may have received the wrong information from this erroneous Facebook post. Thank you.

This from Ms. Macaw, a co-sponsor of this year's festivities:

Parade route:
·Cars will turn right out of Holly Hill mall onto McNeal Road.
·At the end of McNeal, turn right onto Candler.
·Turn left onto Green Valley Drive.
·Off of Green Valley Drive turn right onto Langford St. and go up by the High School on the gym side.
·At the 4-way, turn right onto Fifth Avenue and go in front of the High School.
·At stop sign, turn right onto Marion and then into the stadium parking lot.

There will be a community pep rally following the parade at the stadium.

The Barrow Journal’s Lorin Sinn-Clark sat down with Barrow County Schools Superintendent Wanda Creel to take a look back at her first year, 2010-2011; a look ahead to 2011-2012; and, to hear what her biggest goals, greatest challenges and personal vision is.

FIRST YEAR
Creel said when she first “got the call to come to Barrow County,” she was “excited at the opportunity” and a year and half later, “that hasn’t changed a bit.”

“I’m excited to be here,” she said. “It is an honor and I am humbled to be able to be entrusted with our community’s children and to be able to work with them.”

The challenges of her first year included “being new, having people learn who I am and what I stand for.” She said she understands that change is hard and she worked “to establish those relationships with people.”
[Full Story »]

After a near two-year battle over her salary, a Superior Court judge last week indicated that he might rule against Ashley Payne. The former Apalachee High School teacher has been fighting the school district over salary compensation from the loss of her job in August 2009 due to a Facebook posting where she appears to be holding alcoholic beverages in Europe.

On Friday, Aug. 4, Superior Court Judge David Motes presided over a short hearing in which Payne’s attorney Richard Storrs of Atlanta and the Barrow County School District’s attorney Daniel Murphy of Winder, argued their cases for the first time in front of a judge.

While the judge has not ruled, he did reveal Friday that he thought the district was “fairly persuasive” in its argument that Payne’s petition for a writ of mandamus is potentially moot, however he said he would take the case under advisement and read it again. [Full Story »]

Parents will get a chance to offer feedback on proposed changes to elementary school attendance zones for the “Apalachee Cluster” at a pair of public forums to be held on Feb. 15 at Yargo Elementary, and Feb. 16 at Auburn Elementary, from 6-8 p.m.

The affected elementary schools are Auburn, Kennedy, Yargo and Bethlehem because their students eventually attend Apalachee High School.

News of Ashley Payne’s resignation from Apalachee High School in August 2009 has just put that school and Barrow County, Georgia on the world-wide, on-line news map – and not in a good way.

On Feb. 7, a story titled “Teacher sacked for posting picture of herself holding glass of wine and mug of beer on Facebook,” was posted in London’s Daily Mail. Daily India.com picked the story up on Feb. 8, followed by iol, a South African on-line news source on Feb. 9.
[Full Story »]

With budget cuts, furlough days and other financial moves by area school systems during the economic downturn, how schools spend their money has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years.
[Full Story »]

In addition to honoring students, the Barrow County Board of Education also honored system leaders and staff members Tuesday night.

The BOE thanked retiring District 4 member Larry Ballard for his three years of service. Ballard said it had been “a great honor.” His successor, Will Dunn, will be sworn in at the Jan. 11 board meeting and said he is looking forward to beginning his term.

Thirty-year Georgia School Board Association member Vernon Payne also paid a visit to the board. He commended it for “running a tight ship” and said the school system has “a lot to be proud of.”

The grandfather of two Barrow County graduates, Payne said he is the longtime director of 15 school systems and 13 counties, and “just loves getting out to visit” the systems he represents.[Full Story »]